In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, we, the inventors, typically hybridize a large number of peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. We also grow a smaller number of open pollinated seeds of each of these fruits, usually to capture recessive traits. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach tree, which has been denominated varietally as ‘Pearl Princess XII’.
During the summer of 2006 we gathered about 1000 open pollinated seeds from the fruit of several different peach trees that exhibited desired characteristics. These trees, some experimental and some patented varieties, were all located on the breeding grounds of our experimental orchard located near Le Grand, Calif., in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). All of the seeds that came from white flesh freestone peaches were mixed together and dried in a container labeled “WPF (OP)”. These seeds were then planted as a group in November, 2006, in row “36M” of the experimental orchard referenced above. About 500 of the seed germinated and sprouted the following spring. The resulting group of seedlings were grown using normal cultural practices for three years, and then the fruit from each individual tree was carefully evaluated. During the fruit evaluation season of 2011 we selected the present variety as a single tree from the group of seedlings described above for exhibiting desirable qualities. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of peach tree, we asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of ‘Nemaguard’ (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was compatible and true to type.
The present variety is most similar to ‘Glacier Princess’ peach (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,867) by having a medium vigorous tree with large blossoms, by having reniform leaf glands, by being self-fertile, by having a bitter tasting kernel, and by producing white flesh freestone peaches that are very large in size, mostly red in skin color, globose in shape, firm in texture, and good in flavor, but is distinguished therefrom by blooming about ten days later, by requiring more chilling hours, and by producing fruit that matures about fifteen days earlier.